Last Day at Akita

Hello Everyone, My last day. I'm a bit sad since I've been coming to work here for 6 years but at the same time, yep, it's time to go. I did my last exams on Wednesday. They turned out really well and I am quite happy with my marks. I get to wear honour roll regalia to graduation at the end of May. My practicum starts on May 6 and I'm quite excited. I have a meeting with them on Monday so I'll know what to expect. It's the big comic expo this weekend and they're sold out. 56,000 tickets sold. I picked ours up early and so far I'm impressed with the big changes they've made. Almost double the size of the venue, signage, and lots of volunteers. It should be a lot of fun. Not really in the mood to type today. Have a good day!

Almost Through the Week

Hello Everyone, Ah Thursday afternoons. The work week is almost done. Although I can't really complain. I've only worked this afternoon and I have a few hours tomorrow morning. But since I consider school to be work, all is good. Yep, definitely things are wrapping up. I had my last computer class on Tuesday and I'm just waiting for the final exam to be released online. I should be able to do it on the weekend and that's finished. In pathology, I have classes Monday, Wednesday, Friday of next week and then one class on Wednesday of the following week followed by the exam the Wednesday after. All that's really continuing on is transcription and I'm glad to have the extra time for that and for working. I found out about my practicum spot. It's a physiotherapy clinic just on the other side of SAIT. So, a 35 minute walk. And it's located in a mall that has yummy Korean bbq. It's actually the mall I used to shop at when I lived in the NW so I know the area pretty well. Had a good weekend. We spent the night in the hostel and when we woke up, we didn't feel much like skiing since it wouldn't be good conditions until at least 11am. The temperature dropping at night causes ice to form on top of the snow, which makes it unpleasant to ski in. We got hungry and decided to go on a car ride. Ended up in the Crowsnest Pass and had breakfast. Slowly meandered over to Lethbridge that afternoon. Did Easter dinner (full turkey and all at 2pm) on Saturday and watched the new Wizard of Oz movie. I thought it was very well done. Drove back on Sunday and spent Monday relaxing. We started back into True Blood and that stupid soap opera has us addicted again. There is a limit of 1 episode/night. Luckily we're still 1.5 series behind so we can watch it in groups. Have a great day!

Las Vegas Photos

Here are some photos from our fun weekend in Las Vegas back in February.

Happy Easter!

Hello Everyone, I’m preparing for an extra-long weekend. Both of us have Friday & Monday off. We head down to Castle Mountain tonight and we’re going skiing/snowboarding tomorrow. Then, we’re heading over to Lethbridge for family dinner on Saturday, return Sunday night, and then have Monday as a home day. It will be nice to have some relax time as it’s been a stressful few weeks. I had 2 exams yesterday. One went much better than I thought, and I’m not sure about the other. There is light at the end of the tunnel though. I did my graduation photo shoot and have registered for the ceremony. It’ll be the last day in May, which coincidently is also my last day of practicum. We were given our choices this week and we had to rank them from 1-17. It would have been easier if we only had to pick our top 10. From there, our instructor will look at our selection and try to match everyone up as close to their choices as possible. And, we have 1 more transcription course (it’s 1/month this semester) and it’s an advanced course (i.e. heavy accents, fast speakers, muffled recordings) My last in-school exam is April 25 and then I have 1 week off. Practicum starts May 6. My last day of work will be April 26. It’s scary, since I won’t have an income for at least a month, but I’m ready for the change. My work is pretty well wrapped up and the payroll administrators have things under control. Last weekend, I played the prelude in church for Palm Sunday. I had picked up a few, “modern” pieces and although the practising was stressful, I enjoyed playing. The previous weekend we travelled to Saskatchewan for a funeral for one of Jerry’s friends. And the weekend before was Jerry’s birthday so we went to Banff and skied/snowboarded at Sunshine. My great Banff find of the weekend was a pair of used ski boots for $50. I’ll get our Las Vegas photos up hopefully this afternoon. There won’t be much commentary as I’m having issues with Blogger and photos. I’ll put a few more notes on the ones I load to Facebook. It was a fun, surreal time, and I can see how easy it is for people to get sucked into it. You end up winding through the casinos to get anywhere, the scale of things is overwhelming, and everyone smokes inside. It’s easy to get tired and stop at a slot machine for a rest. But, during our entire time there, we didn’t spend even a penny gambling. Instead, we had amazing food and lots of people watching. Have a great day!

Wedding Anniversary

Hello Everyone, Yesterday Jerry and I celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary. It was a lovely day. I managed to make him speechless lol. So, we're not big into presents (we tend to do "experiences") but I still wanted to surpirse him with something. I found someone on Etsy to make bicycle print hankerchiefs (cotton is the 2nd anniversary traditional present) and got a groupon to name a star after him. It was the star that threw him, which made me happy since he's really hard to buy for. It's a symbolic purchase but he likes stargazing and I though it would be nice. Yippee for groupons! That's what most of our anniversary was all about. For dinner, we used one to try a new restaurant. It was a tasting menu with wine. We chose 4 plates and had 2 oz of wine with each to sample. There was crab cakes (much better than I thought they'd taste), baked brie with cranberries and crostinis, smoked duck with carmelized onions on crostinis, and bacon wrapped steak on a skewer. Dessert was an oreo mousse in a shot glass with a truffle and a sample of port. It was a lovely time and a great anniversary treat. To celebrate, we're using another groupon for a trip to Las Vegas. We're headed to Treasure Island tomorrow and will see Mystere (Cirque du Soleil) on Saturday. We have groupons for a sightseeing bus and dinner. Jerry also has one for a shooting range, while I have to pay full price to be pampered at the spa. All in all, I would say I like groupons but you need to know your prices and I find they have to be things you would normally do/buy anyways for them to be worthwhile. This is reading week for me and I've really enjoyed the time off. I'm working, which is good for the budget, but it's been nice not to have homework in the evening. Although, I do need to do a bit tonight in preparation for next week. I have about 2 months left of class and then my practicum for May. It's pretty neat listening to the recordings as there are so many things I can here now that I couldn't in the fall. But still so much to learn. Have a great day!

Word of the Day

Enucleation - Removal of an entire structure without rupture. For example, at Christmas many people will have mixed nuts. Walnuts can be tricky to get out in one piece. If you do it, you have achieved enucleation.

The Weekend

Hello Everyone, It's hard to believe it's the last weekend of January. The time has flown by! I started classes again on the 8th and I'm only now getting back into the swing of things. Thank goodness for my phone - the calendar has my schedule programmed into it. Otherwise, I'd have no idea where my classes are. This semsester I have 2 courses that run until the end of April and the rest of my classes are one month each. They're my transcription classes and they're in 4 hour blocks, 4 days a week. They've been slowly building up our stamina. But it means I have a final on Wednesday. We're looking at medical specialities so this course was respiratory, cardiovascular and HEENT (head, eyes, ears, nose, throat). Very interesting stuff! We've had a roommate since Christmas and he goes home next weekend. Rusty is Jerry's mom's cat and it's been quite tiring having him around. We are definitely a 2-pet household. The extra cat fur has been really rough on Jerry (he's allergic to cats plus he's asthmatic). We've also had battles between him and Mike (which they seem to have settled this week), and he's picky about the litter box and likes to use freshly cleaned rugs instead. He's cute and cuddly, makes chirping noises, and plays fetch, but he's too much for us. Oh, and he's 7 months and unneutered. On another pet note, Mike has some kind of illness. We took him in for a check-up and they did some bloodwork. There is an enzyme that is released when the body is consuming muscle (rather than fat) and his results were positive. The vet wanted to do a MRI but we said no. Mike hid for a day after his bloodwork, he's 12, and it's $500. So, we're going to work with the vet to keep him comfortable. He's doing better than at the beginning of the month (he slept a lot, has been losing weight, and his fur wasn't as glossy as normal) and he's eating again. But he's finally worked out that he is alpha kitty in the household (with Whiskers being the all-supreme leader) For New Years, I bought myself to panniers for Mary. One is a shopping bag style and there is a flap that zips over the hooks (they hook onto the back rack). The other is more a brief case style (courtesy of the knock-off folks in China). Both are great for light grocery shopping. It is definitely more comfortable that having a swing bag. And to think I resisted for so many years... Read a good book recently called the time keeper by Mitch Albom. But make sure you have some chocolate and tissues nearby though. Very interesting ideas though... It's about the first person who wanted to measure time and the consequences. I'm doing the children's story at church tomorrow. I'm going to teach the song about the wise man building his house. And I even have a demo. Lol - it should be fun. Saw Les Miserable on Christmas. It was ok. I was a bit disappointed and I thought it was way over-hyped. Beautiful costumes and it was pretty but I thought there would be more dialogue to flesh out the musical. And I loved The Hobbit. I read the book years ago so although the characters were somewhat familiar, there was definitely enough action to keep me rivetted to the screen. Anyways, that's all for now, have a good day!

Our Nativity Scene

Jerry & I spent about an hour putting together a foam nativity scene. Isn't it pretty?

Uh-oh...

The poor wise man!

Haaa! Haaa! Haaa!

All that resisted her path of destruction... So I think I'm about ready for Christmas. Finished my baking tonight. We picked up the tree a couple weeks ago and there lights around the window. Christmas presents are wrapped and cards will be mailed out on Monday (well, they'll be New Years cards). It's unusual for me to be so relaxed this close to the holiday. I think it's because it's mid week. I'm not busy trying to get things done during the week. And it's been snowy in Calgary so it's "felt" like Christmas. We even have stockings hung on the (fake) fireplace. We'll head down to Lethbridge after the Christmas eve service in Calgary. Hopefully we'll be able to stop in at Jerry's brother's house for their big Christmas eve party. Turkey will be on Tuesday at his brother & sister's place. And we'll head home Boxing Day afternoon. A bit of a whirlwind Christmas but it should be good. We're having our special Christmas dinner tomorrow. We're making roast duck. It's a bit of a tradition. We come up with a fancy meal and have a special time - just the two of us. The school semester wrapped up mid December & I've been working at Akita until I go back on the 7th. I've been sick with a cold but am almost better. Had laryngitis last weekend. My voice is almost back and I've been trying to rest it for singing in the choir. Last week I played the prelude music at church. It was very nice to play as I love Christmas carols. Not sure what our plans are for New Years. We both only have the day off and will have busy work days both before and after the holiday. Have a great day!

Already October

Hello Everyone, It was a bit of a shock yesterday when I looked at the date and realized it was October. Wow did September ever go quickly. I'm now it the routine of a full-time student. My schedule works pretty well: Monday - morning work, afternoon class Tuesday - afternoon class (morning is study time) Wednesday - morning work, afternoon class Thursday - morning work, afternoon class Friday - morning class (afternoon is study time) So far I am enjoying my courses, the instructors are good and my classmates are friendly. I'm around the average age so I only feel old if I head down to the cafeteria. That first week though, boy did I feel stupid. There's apparently a term for that first week-fuzzy headness that happens when you're thrown into a new situation. I don't remember its name but I certainly experienced it. Everything blurred together and thank goodness for my cell phone because my schedule was programed into it. I love Google Calender. As for the rest of the month, we've been settling into a fall routine. This past weekend was special as Jerry's niece got married in Waterton. We went down to Fort Macleod on Thursday (wedding was Friday) and stayed at the trailer. We spent Friday & Saturday with Lois and Jillisa (my grand-niece) and went hiking at Red Rock Canyon. It was really pretty. The leaves were trying their darnest to have lots of colour and although there wasn't the pretty reds, the yellows were lovely. We winterized the trailer on Sunday and then came home. We have inherited the trailer and trailer spot. The trailer spot is free for next year (Lois had won a contest for free rent in 2013). The trailer is older than me but it's a great location and Jerry has lots of fond memories. The lot is in a recreational campground and is fairly large. We're going to make a few changes inside but the trailer's getting too old to move so we'll look at our options in a couple years. And I have a new computer. Stupid shopping channel. I'm not a fan of Dell, based on dealing with them with my last laptop. But, there was a great deal on an all-in-one and interest-free easy pays made it really affordable. So far I really like it and it's got a huge screen. Much easier for schoolwork than my netbook. We're hosting Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday. We'll cook the turkey on Saturday to take away the stress. I got a call tonight for a last-minute fill in as the pianist in church so hopefully my planning will still work out. Jerry laughs at my spreadsheets but it makes things a lot easier for me. The weather has been quite warm and today was the first day we had to shut the windows. A cold front came through and then temperature dropped 15 C. Have a good day!

Family Visit

Hello Everyone, Mom & Dad left yesterday to return to Ontario after a two week visit. It was a lovely visit and the weather was great. Tuesday - They arrived! Wednesday - Brought the folks to work for a visit, walked through downtown, visited newly opened Devonian Gardens Thursday - Big Hills Springs provincial park for a picnic, ice-cream at Cochrane Friday - Sent the folks to Castle Mountain. Jerry & I headed to Banff Saturday - Jerry completed the Gran Fondo in Banff (said it was an amazing time). Mom & Dad visited Waterton National Park Sunday - had a bbq with Jerry's mom at the trailer near Fort MacLeod Monday - Relaxing day Tuesday - Ikea! Wednesday - Hike at Ptarmigan Cirque (by Highwood Pass - the highest pass in Canada accessible by car) Thursday - I had school orientation so the folks went to Elbow Lake and Kananaskis Lakes Friday - took the folks to Bass Pro and then we all went on a double date - Chuck E Cheese and a movie lol Saturday - went to the Calgary Highland games. I thought it was a poorly planned event but it was my first time. Took the folks to MEC. Sunday - took Dad up Ha Ling peak (his first proper scramble)and then we all went for Vietnamese Monday - Mom & Dad left :-( We had fun playing rummole in the evening and it was funny watching mom spoil the furry family with treats. Have a good day!

Sad News

Hello Everyone, We received sad news Tuesday evening. Jerry's Dad, Cy, passed away. He had been the hospital for the last week after he colapsed at home. This was the day after we had left the campground from visiting him. Jerry's mom had called earlier in the day to let us know he was having a tough day so when we got the phone call later that night it wasn't completely out of the blue. His health had been going downhill over the past several years and his muscle mass had deteriorated. But, he was 80 and lead a full life. We rented a car Wednesday morning and headed down to Lethbridge. Funeral arrangements have been made and today they are finalizing things like photos, obituary etc. Lois (Jerry's mom) had spoken with Cy over the past few years over his final wishes so it went smoothly. The funeral is on Saturday and he is to be cremated and then buried at the veteran's section of the cemetary. He was a Korean war vet before leaving the RCAF to become a police officer. I needed to come back to Calgary today so I took the Greyhound this morning and will head back down tonight. It's a 3 hour drive and I thought I'd be to tired to do a 6 hour drive by myself along with everything else. I'll wait until Jerry posts something on Facebook before I comment there. I thought it would be more appropriate that way. But I wanted you to know just in case you've been trying to reach me. Jerry seems to be handling it well. He told me he had seen his Dad's health deteriorating and that it was only a matter of time. It was a short hospital stay and he passed away in his sleep. As well, we had a great visit with him on the long weekend so Jerry's last memories with him are good.

Ah Exam Week

Hello Everyone, My exam's on Thursday so I'm in study mode this week. Basically it means once dinner is ready, I bring my books into the bedroom, study while petting Mike and nap. It's probably a flawed system but Mike rather enjoys it. lol A relaxing weekend. I went for a bike ride Friday night to figure out a bicycle commutting route. I've been gaining weight and since I don't like to exercise it seemed like a good solution. My commute to work is straightforward but my ride home is longer. I've decided to take the pathways rather than the main roads because it is more relaxing. I ride along the Bow River, cut through the zoo (yesterday I saw Musk Oxen!)and then go on the Nose Creek pathway. I then push my bike up the stupid hill (even when I get in shape I may not ride up it because it is super curvy and on an angle). From there I'm on quiet, tree-lined residential roads that lead me straight home. All in all, the same length of time it would take me to walk home. I didn't ride this morning because I broke my brake cable coming to work. Luckily, that's one extra reason why I ride a fixie. It was in stop & go traffic so I just used my legs for braking. And no problems going home. I probably won't get around to fixing it until the end of the week but it's a pretty easy fix. My last day of full time work has been moved up to a week from now. I had some extra vacation days and it made sense to use them. Today I'm getting a hair cut (always a relaxing event) and Jerry is going to Evil Dead - The Musical with his friends tonight. I went to it with him last year so when he scored tickets I suggested it may be a great thing to do with his friends. He's so excited - they're front row centre, in the splatter zone (yes, that's splatter as in splattered in blood so much that they receive covereralls to wear and they are required to leave the theatre after everyone else). The hail storm on Sunday night was crazy! It sounded like someone throwing a baseball at a steel roof. Mike hid in the closet. We didn't have any damage but we shut the windows just in case. The garden looked much better than expected as there were only a few flowers whose petals were cut in half by it. It was huge hail. Strange since it shattered when it hit the ground, kind of like a loose slushy snowball. Lots of damage north of us. Have a good day!

I'm Back

Hello Everyone,

Yes, it's been a while. I think it's that I'm also working on a laptop at work that when I get home, I don't want to deal with another laptop. So, to catch you up on things...

I have the last week in August off in preparation for school and for Mom & Dad's visit. I have my orientation on the Friday and I start classes right after Labour Day. Akita is keeping me on for 2 days a week (flexible on my schedule). I have my schedule now and so far it looks good. I can come into work Monday morning, Wednesday & Thursday afternoon. These are also good times from a payroll perspective (based on duty timelines). Training for both new clerks is coming along nicely. I am sharing an office with the newest so I have a little desk and a lap top in the corner.

We had a visitor stay with us for a good portion of July. He's a friend of Jerry's from snowboarding and needed a place to stay for Stampede. It morphed into several more weeks so our household was in a bit of an upheaval for a while.

For the long weekend, we went to Torrington gopher museum on Friday (pictures to be posted on Facebook), and then went to Jerry's Mom & Dad's trailer near Fort MacLeod. They have a large trailer lot so there's lots of room to set up a tent there. We had built a deck (16'x16') and a fence there in mid July.

We're going through a heat wave and the apartment's been 30+ over the past week or so. Even the fans aren't doing that much. We get cool temperature at night but it's for a really short time and not enough to get the apartment cooled down before it gets hot again.

Busy watching the Olympics

Oh, and Jerry made deep fried Mars & Snickers bars for me last week. They were super tasty.

I have my Medical Terminology 2 midterm next Thursday. My memorization cards are complete and this week will be word activities. It's a multiple choice exam but based on the previous course, it can be a bit tricky.

Good news - Jerry is now full-time! He was a permanent part-time employee and he was able to bid up to full-time. And, the depot is only a 15 minute bike ride away. Currently, he's riding 40 minutes each way, which is ridiculous in my mind.

Calgary has also gotten a car share program using Smart cars that we're trying out. So far it's been useful.

Have a great day!

10 Principles of a Modern Sabbath

Hello Everyone,

I came across this idea while watching the religious chanel. It comes from a non-denomination organization, Sabbath Manifesto.

http://www.sabbathmanifesto.org

I find that life is flying by so fast and I don't take the time to appreciate it. So Jerry and are going to try it out with a few modifications:

1 - no computers/internet/tv. Cuddling on the couch to watch a movie or using our cell phone to meet up with friends is ok.
2 - Because of the distance to loved ones, we need a phone for this.
5 - local products, supporting local businesses is ok. No big box shopping.

10 Principles of a Modern Sabbath

1. Avoid technology
2. Connect with loved ones
3. Nurture your health
4. Get outside
5. Avoid commerce
6. Light candles
7. Drink wine
8. Eat bread
9. Find silence
10. Give back

I like their concept as they have these 10 items as suggestions - how you interpret it is up to you. I've done a few "no computer" weekends and felt so relaxed and refreshed by Sunday night.

Have a great day!

Massages and Waterbeds Boost Milk Output in Cows

The Associated Press
Date: Tuesday May. 29, 2012 9:17 AM ET

CHILTON, Wis. — Lucky, a 7-year-old dairy cow, had been walking with a limp for several weeks when veterinarian Sara Gilbertson was called. Instead of prescribing painkillers, Gilbertson tried an unusual new therapy -- a chiropractic adjustment that included a full-length spinal massage.

Gilbertson rubbed the Holstein's spine by gently squeezing it from neck to tail, pausing to apply firm pressure to one hip and readjust several vertebrae. The cow stood in calm silence, moving only enough to reach another mouthful of hay. Later, as Lucky reclined on a bed of sand, Gilbertson noted with satisfaction how relaxed and comfortable the animal seemed.

Cow comfort has become a key concern for the nation's farmers, who have known for generations that contented cows give more milk. The traditional techniques for keeping cows happy aren't complicated -- feed them well, keep the temperature comfortable and give them room to move around. But some dairy farmers are turning to a new array of creative options intended to keep cows as mellow -- and productive -- as possible.

Some farmers have installed waterbeds for their cows to rest on, while others play classical music. And some hire animal chiropractors to give older cows a tuneup and correct minor issues in calves, all part of the effort to ensure maximum milk output.

Do the methods really work? There's no sound scientific data to back up the claims, but dairy farmers say they can see the difference with their own eyes -- cows are giving more milk, the milk quality is improving and the herds seem to be enjoying the indulgences.

"It's kind of like how an athlete with a sprained ankle isn't as productive," said Larry Meyer, 36, whose parents own the dairy farm in Chilton, Wis., where Lucky and another 115 dairy cows live. "If you can get a cow healthy and back to normal, it makes a difference in their productivity."

Cows can suffer injuries if they slip on a slick spot of concrete or get stepped on by another 1,500-pound bovine, and some calves get their necks kinked during the birthing process. The injuries can cause pain when the animals stand, making them reluctant to jostle for food and leading to compensatory injuries. That, in turn, leads to less milk production.

That's why farmers are willing to spend about $75 per session for a chiropractic adjustment.

"The cows tolerate it incredibly well," said Gilbertson, the veterinarian. "They may be apprehensive at first, until they figure out how good it feels."

Meyer didn't have specific figures on how much milk Lucky gave following her chiropractic treatments, but because her mother was the most productive cow in the herd, he wanted to make sure Lucky was in good shape.

While chiropractic care is reserved for injured cows, dairy farmers also are investing in healthy cows' happiness.

Richard Conrad installed $70,000 waterbeds on his farm in Grafton, Ohio, about a year ago. It took the 220 dairy cows a few months to adjust to the softer surface but now they seem to enjoy it, he said.

"They were real skeptical at first because it was real jiggly," said Conrad, 53, "but once they adapted they didn't look back. They just jump on and stay there."

The result has been milk with fewer impurities and in greater volume -- cows that used to give about 80 pounds of milk per day now average about 90 pounds, Conrad said. However, he couldn't credit the waterbeds with all the improvement; he also upgraded ventilation in his barns and installed misting technology to keep the herd cool.

Dairy farmers commonly adjust air, temperature and lighting to keep cows happy. Some have also installed large rotating brushes that gently scratch the cows' backs and massage their faces and shoulders, said Marcia Endres, a University of Minnesota Extension dairy scientist.

And some dairy producers have employed even more unusual techniques, even in absence of scientific data that justifies their use. In Germany, for example, the Dortmund Concert Hall plays recordings of different classical pieces for specific cows. The hall then serves milk from the respective cows during live concerts featuring those same pieces.

"Which means you'll now be able to both listen to and taste the musical highlights," the hall says in one advertisement.

Dairy experts agree the concept is entertaining, if a bit of a logical stretch. They also agree that dairy farmers need to be careful about introducing new techniques -- music, waterbeds, chiropractic care -- into a herd that's already relatively comfortable.

"Cows are creatures of habit. They like things to stay the same," Endres said. "So many producers like to not introduce too much change. Cows just don't like a lot of weird things happening to them."

Hesjedal becomes first Canadian to win Giro d'Italia

Updated: Sun May. 27 2012 19:57:21

CTVNews.ca Staff

Cyclist Ryder Hesjedal says he "left everything on the streets of Milan" to become the first Canadian to win the prestigious Giro d'Italia on Sunday.

The Victoria, B.C. native managed to capture the second biggest race behind the Tour de France with a come-from-behind victory over Spain's Joaquin Rodriguez in Sunday's final time trial.

Upon finishing, the 31-year-old Hesjedal said going into Sunday's final stage, he knew he "had to give everything" in order to win.

"I just left everything on the streets of Milan, and I was able to get enough time back and pull it off," Hesjedal told CTV News Channel in a telephone interview from Italy. "That's it. It's just focus, and not giving up the opportunity."

Hesjedal came into the day trailing by 31 seconds, but finished the 30-kilometre stage in 34:15 to win by 16 seconds to capture the pink jersey.

"This is the first time ever that we have had a cyclist in pink in Milan and it's a great day for Canadian cycling," Jacques Landry, the head coach of Cycling Canada, told News Channel. "This is definitely a great feat."

Hesjedal is now the first Canadian to win one of the three Grand Tour races and is an early favourite for next month's Tour de France.

"So far he has proven that he can come up where he has said he can perform and if the Tour de France is his next objective I am certain that he will show us again what he is made of," said Landry.

Hesjedal said he plans to enjoy the next few days, including a celebratory dinner with his teammates, friends and his wife, before drawing up a training plan for the Tour de France.

Hesjedal said his victory was the culmination of "years of hard work."

"It's unreal," he said. "I've been doing this for a long time but it still amazes me what we're able to accomplish. And I'm going to savour this for a long time."

Prime Minister Stephen Harper was among those to praise Hesjedal's victory.

"This remarkable win in one of bicycle racing's most grueling competitions is a testimony to Mr. Hesjedal's training, endurance, skill and competitive spirit," Harper said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Lance Armstrong, the seven-time Tour de France winner, also praised Hesjedal.

"Congratulations to @ryder--hesjedal on his incredible victory in the #giro. Gotta love it when the best man wins," tweeted Armstrong.

A lovely birthday

Hello Everyone,

I had a very nice birthday yesterday. We had Crave cupcakes at work and Jerry took me out to dinner. Milestones has a Wednesday night date night menu of $50 for dinner for two (shared appetizer, entree each and shared dessert) and $5 off a bottle of wine. It was a lovely treat.

For my birthday, he got me Leonard Cohen tickets for his November concert and a fabulous bicycle purse. It's made by a company called po campo and it's designed to fit on the rack of a bike.

We had a great holiday weekend. Headed out to Banff on Saturday and set up our campsite. Barbequed steak and did foil packets of baby potatoes. Also did up a pear gorgonzola salad and yummy s'mores (using chocolate with salted toffee). And, it didn't snow over night. The fire was nice and since we don't have a balcony at home to barbeque, it was a special treat.

On Sunday we headed out to Ha Ling Peak. It's rated as an easy scramble/difficult hike. I was actually expecting to take a bit longer but we were right on the four hour mark. There were lots of people on the trail and would recommend it to anyone wanting to try their first scramble.

Monday I finished my final assignments for healthcare professionalism (yippee I'm not a student for two weeks!). We then headed out to Calaway Park to play on the roller coaster. I didn't feel so well after but it was worth it. So much fun.

On Saturday we have a refresher bicycle course. And Sunday is the Lilac festival.

Rainy for the past few days.

Have a great day!

Ha Ling Peak photos

Hello Everyone,

Here are my photos from Ha Ling peak, first scramble of the year. 4 hours round trip, including a nice rest at the top.

Phone Call Worries

Hello Everyone,

Here is an example of an increasing type of phone call at work. Names have been changed for stupidity.

Caller - Hi! My name is Mary Jones and my son Freddy works for you. He is buying a trailer/house/vehicle and needs his last two pay stubs faxed to our home.

Me - I'm sorry, I need to speak with Freddy for this type of request.

Caller - Oh, he's right here on the portch. I'll go get him.

Muffle, noise, etc

Caller 2 - Hello, I'm Freddy. I'm buying...

Me - (Confirms the request)

Background noise, confirming everything with his mom.

The End.

And these are people running multi-million dollar equipment.
And these are people who will be taking care of me in the old folk's home.

We're doomed...

Stupid Eye Lid

Hello Everyone,

I got a stye on Sunday and I'm still recovering. It was mostly red and itchy until yesterday morning. When I woke up, the whole eye lid was swollen so I went to the optometrist to make sure it wasn't anything serious. He confirmed my eye was fine but that I needed to go to the doctor asap for the infection.

So, I checked out a new clinic near our apartment. They were very nice, accepting new patients and also handle walk-ins. My family doctor stopped working at my old place a few years ago so I think I'll switch to this new clinic.

Now I'm on penicillin for the next week.

My medical terminology midterm went really well. I have my final booked for the 15th so hopefully I'll have both classes done before the long weekend. That way I can relax for the rest of May before I take my final class of before the semester start. Jerry and I went to an orientation (designed for spouses & parents - the "support network" of the students) last week and was able to see where most of my classes will be held.

Tonight Mike goes to the vet for his check-up and vaccines. I carry him in a reusable bag rather than a cat carrier because he likes to stick his head out and see what's going on.

I was at the comic book expo on the weekend and it was crazy. The fire marshalls shut it down for a while because the organizers weren't tracking numbers. When I left to visit the craft show, I was told it would be over 2 hours before I would be allowed back in (because of the lines). I had a good time though since I had no schedule to keep. Jerry dressed up as an Andorian (Star Trek) and I had a Dr. Who print dress. I'll post some photos soon.

Taking my emergency first aid on Saturday. I accidently let my Standard First Aid lapse but I didn't have the desire to use up my whole weekend with a two day course.

Have a great day!